What’s Old Is New

E3 is rarely heralded as a place for originality, despite the entire affair being dedicated to informing the public of what’s new in video games. The number “4” ran rampant through the show, showing up in the titles of Uncharted and Fallout, and more subtly in Mass: Andromeda and Doom. Between the rapturous reaction to news of Xbox One getting backwards compatibility, and the collective freakout over a Final Fantasy VII remake, it’s not as if publishers aren’t giving players what they want by playing to their nostalgia. But what they also want, and what the industry needs long-term, is a healthier selection of original titles that can go and be remade/sequel-ized ad nauseam a decade from now.